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Egypt to face Cameroon in Nations final

February 8th, 2008 by zMastaa

Egypt, who overcame the Ivory Coast 4-1 in Thursday’s semi-final, believe they are on course for a sixth Africa Cup of Nations triumph.

The defending champions will now meet Cameroon in Sunday’s final in a repeat of a group game that Egypt won 4-2.

Goalkeeper Essam Al-Hadari, who made a series of stunning saves, said: “I’m the happiest man in the world.” Egypt 4 - 1 Ivory Coast

Assistant coach Shawki Gharib said of their win over the tournament favourites: “We’re delighted with the performance and the result.

“All the Egyptian players like South American football, we like Argentina, we like Brazil, we like this style of football.

“But the most important thing is that we play with our minds. First of all, we think about what we are going to do on the pitch.

“Now, we will win the final.”

Amr Zaki netted twice as Egypt stunned the pre-tournament favourites, while Ahmed Fathi and Mohamed Aboutrika also scored.

Ivory Coast lost goalkeeper Boubacar Barry to injury in the first-half with the Elephants losing 1-0. Barry was replaced by Stephan Loboue.

Ivory Coast coach Gerard Gili insisted Barry’s injury did not cost his team the game.

“The exit of my goalkeeper was not the reason we lost,” said Gili.

“His absence only meant I lost a chance to make another substitution. We simply had an off day.

“We didn’t expect to lose by such a wide margin but the Egyptians played well and pulled it off.”

Important for Cameroon people
Egypt will face Cameroon in Sunday’s final after the Indomitable Lions overcame hosts Ghana 1-0 in Accra. Alain Nkong’s second-half strike broke the deadlock in a tense encounter.

Cameroon coach Otto Ofister said: “Getting through to the final isn’t important for me, it’s important to the president of Cameroon and his people.

WorldSoccer.com

Posted in African Cup Of Nations | No Comments »

Ghana Outsted As Plucky Cameroon Snatch Win

February 8th, 2008 by zMastaa

Cameroon 1 - 0 Ghana

A second-half goal from Alain Nkong proved too much for hosts Ghana, whose involvement in the African Cup of Nations thus ends at the semi-final stage…

Cameroon found the finish in what was a largely even and less-than-beautiful encounter in Accra.Still, what the game lacked in finesse, it made up for with vigour. With Gyan out, Ghana moved Quincu Owusu-Abeyie up front with Agogo, and his side set about Cameroon Beats Ghana attacking early.Within five minutes, Sulley Muntari was able to play in a fine cross, but Eric Addo could do nothing with it at the far post.

Soon afterwards, though, some more planning could have seen Cameroon take the lead, but Eto’o collided right into Kingson in an attempt to connect with Song’s cross.

For the most part, there was a lot of hoofing and punting, but relatively little football on display, but Ghana wree occasionally proving themselves capable of the odd passing move.

Still, as with much of the tournament, long-range efforts were the order of the day, with Achille Emana coming close with a dipping volleyed effort 20 minutes in.

Ghana had another chance on the half hour mark through a Dede Ayew solo effort, but it was a routine save for Kameni.

At the other end - and it was end-to-end - Geremi so nearly made it 1-0 with a sensational 40-yard free-kick, but his effort clipped the post and flew wide.

Ghana closed the half strongly with a header from Ayew after Muntari’s cross, and it appeared that their use of the ball in the final third was superior to that of Cameroon.

Indeed, Essien, who had been rather quiet in his enforced defensive role, was involved in a pacy attacking move just after the break, but he and Owusu-Abeyie were caught by some fine defending at the last second.

Essien was called into action at the other end with a tackle of his own against the onrushing Eto’o a few minutes later as the game continued its end-to-end status.

Both teams made their changes, but it was for Cameroon that it paid off, as they took a brilliant goal, inevitably on the break, seventy minutes in.

Alain Nkong took advantage of a brilliant through ball from Samuel Eto’o to hit Ghana on the counter, the journeyman forward’s brilliant effort across Richard Kingson rendering the ‘keeper helpless, and the hosts on the verge of elimination.

It was a tough break for Ghana, who had been in fact the better side from perhaps the 40th minute onwards, but the quality of Cameroon’s goal was undeniable.

In response, the Black Stars tried to press forward, but the Black Stars were initially met with a wall of opposition.

Although, ten minutes after that opener, Ghana were given a perfect opportunities to equalise, but somehow squandered it. Agogo had a golden chance as he is picked out at the penalty spot by a cross from the right, but he incredibly headed over despite being under no pressure at all.

That spooked Cameroon, who began to waste time, milking “injuries” and set pieces as an apoplectic Claude Le Roy looked on. Carlos Kameni got in on the act after racing to snatch the ball ahead of Gyan, who insisted that the two made no contact.

Barusso came on for Ayew as Ghana looked to grab a dramatic equaliser, but the dying minutes were characterised not so much by chances, but by time-wasting and thinly-veiled Ghanaian frustration.

This boiled over into some unsightly “handbags” just before stoppage time, but in fact it was a Cameroonian who - quite deservedly - received their marching orders.

Rigobert Song, down and seemingly incapacitated, was about to be loaded onto a stretcher-trolley as security staff looked on. Andre Bikey inexplicably shoved one of the stadium staff members to the ground, picking up a red card for his troubles.

Ghana sensed that they had a chance to seize a dramatic equaliser, and when they were given a free-kick deep into stoppage time, it seemed to be the ideal time to do so. So important was this kick that Ghana even requested a new ball for the occasion.

However, Barusso skied his effort way, way over the bar, and with the sailing ball went his side’s chances of progression.

Goal.com

Posted in African Cup Of Nations | No Comments »

10-man Ghana, Ivory Coast, into African Nations Cup semi-finals

February 4th, 2008 by zMastaa

ACCRA - Hosts Ghana overcame the expulsion of skipper John Mensah to make it into the African Nations Cup semi-finals with Ivory Coast securing the other last four spot from Sunday’s quarter-finals.

Ghana did not buckle under the weight of a nation’s expectations in a memorable win against Nigeria in Accra, Claude Le Roy’s team coming from a goal down and playing much of the second half with 10-men to prevail 2-1.

In the later match, in Sekondi, 2006 finalists Ivory Coast lived up to their billing as one of the tournament favourites by crushing Guinea 5-0.

The ‘Elephants’ led 1-0 at half-time thanks to a Kader Keita goal and captain Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou (twice) and Bakary Kone were on target as Guinea fell apart. Ghana wins 2 - 1 against Nigeria

The Ivorians’ reward is a semi-final date with either defending champions Egypt or surprise packages Angola, with Ghana set to face the winner of Monday’s other quarter-final featuring Tunisia and Cameroon.

Ghana were by far the superior side against Berti Vogts’ Super Eagles, but they fell behind to a Yakubu Ayegbeni penalty with Ghana’s midfield maestro Michael Essien grabbing a first half injury time equaliser to send the 45,000 capacity crowd into raptures at the Ohene Djan stadium.

Mensah was given his marching orders with half an hour to go when he clipped the heels of Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie.

But Ghana showed plenty of backbone and even at a numerical disadvantage continued to outplay the Nigerians.

With seven minutes left on the clock Sulley Muntari set up Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo to boot home the winner.

Mensah’s red card leaves him suspended for both the semi-final and next Sunday’s final should Ghana make it, with Essien in line to inherit his captain’s armband.

Le Roy felt referee Mohamed Benouza was unduly harsh on his skipper.

“I don’t know whether John deserved the red card. The referee was very fast to send him off. This case was not clear cut,” said the coach.

“We took a risk not to change our formation and bring on a defender after Mensah had been sent off but we wanted to keep attacking. We wanted to win it.”

The Frenchman, who turns 60 on Wednesday, had special praise for his players.

“I’m so proud to be the Ghana coach, congratulations to them all.

“They were heroes to first come back from a goal down, then hold on and get the winner,” he said.

Ghana’s Portsmouth midfielder Sulley Muntari said the team had pulled together once their captain was out of the picture.

“When John was sent off we were all conscious of the responsibility on our shoulders. We couldn’t lose this match.

ivorycoast “It was a great effort to beat Nigeria, who aren’t a weak side, with a man down.”

Vogts said his team could go home with their heads held high.

“I’m very disappointed, we paid dearly for our mistakes,” said the German.

“But I have a young team, they’re not so experienced as Ghana who were in the last World Cup. My boys gave 100 percent today, we lose together, we win together.”

Up in Sekondi Ivory Coast coach Gerard Gili said of his side’s impressive victory: “It was a complicated match up to the second goal.

“I always underline the discipline and the willingness of my players. Guinea didn’t play badly and Robert Nouzaret (Guinea’s coach) has done a good job.

“We have a team that doesn’t doubt itself. We were here to put up a big performance and we never doubted we’d get it.”

Nouzaret said he’d picked a team that could trouble the Ivorians.

“But unfortunately once again the defence gave away a gift. We tried to get back into it in after the break but after the second goal we didn’t have any morale left.”

Posted in African Cup Of Nations | No Comments »

Essien wants a Ghana v Ivory Coast Final

January 22nd, 2008 by zMastaa

Chelsea team-mates Michael Essien and Didier Droigba would line up on opposing sides in Essien’s ‘dream’ final of the African Cup of Nations. Essien

Both Ghana and Ivory Coast won their opening group matches in the African Cup of Nations, keeping alive the possibility that the Black Stars could meet the Elephants in the final. And that is a prospect that appeals to Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien.

He would love to meet his Stamford Bridge buddy Didier Drogba, who captains Ivory Coast, in the final.

Essien’s Ghana, who are hosting the tournament, secured a win in their opening game of the tournament when they beat Guinea 2-1 on Sunday evening.

Afterwards, midfielder Essien told Setanta of the burden of expectations that comes with being hosts:

“People think Ghana are favourites because we are playing at home but it doesn’t guarantee a win in any competition in the world,” Essien said.

“It is added pressure for the team but we are ready to fight to be champions. We have shown it during the first game against Guinea by playing until the end.”

Personally my “dream” final would be Ghana vs Nigeria!

Posted in African Cup Of Nations | No Comments »

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